The Last of Us’ Abby actor says she would ‘definitely’ play the role again
Laura Bailey says she would be keen to return despite the “drama” around the character
The actor who played Abby in The Last of Us Part II says she would “definitely” return to play the role if asked.
In an interview with Comic Book Movie, Laura Bailey was asked if she would be open to playing Abby again if the opportunity ever arose.
“I would definitely go back to her,” Bailey replied.
“I know there was a lot of drama and response to her character, but it was one of the most influential roles I’ve had in my life. I would 100% go back to play more Abby if the opportunity came up.”
Bailey was also asked for her thoughts on the upcoming HBO series, to which she replied: “The series looks amazing and I cannot wait to see more of it.”
Abby was one of the more heavily debated characters in The Last of Us Part II, partly due to the fact players had to control her at some points in the game, and partly because of her character design.
Although the character is presented as an antagonist early in the game, later sections have the player controlling Abby, as the game attempts to create a redemption arc by making players empathise with her by the end.
The character also has an extremely muscular body, which led to criticism from some players and sparked debate on the lack of body diversity in games.
Bailey also received abusive and threatening messages as a result of her portrayal of Abby, some of which she shared online.
The reception forced Naughty Dog to release a statement condeming the harassment of its cast and developers, adding: “Their safety is our top priority, but we must all work together to root out this type of behavior and maintain a constructive and compassionate discourse.”